timvp
02-04-2010, 07:07 AM
In the first game of the Rodeo Road Trip, the San Antonio Spurs took care of business by disposing of the Sacramento Kings. The Spurs scored 27 or more points in each quarter on their way to a 115-113 victory.
In a game that featured a lot of scoring, the Spurs were able to gain the necessary separation by clamping down on defense for a stretch of four minutes in the beginning of the fourth quarter. During that time, the Kings went scoreless and the Spurs were able to gain an 11-point advantage. As it turned out, the Spurs needed each of their baskets on the night due to the Kings amazingly scoring 19 points in the final 1:39 of the contest.
I like the direction the Kings are headed. They have a number of quality young pieces led by rookies Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi. Although, I'm not convinced Evans and Kevin Martin can co-exist. Evans can play the point a bit but he's much more of a shooting guard. His combination of speed, size and power reminds me of a smaller LeBron James. Trading away Martin will likely be necessary to allow Evans to reach his potential.
Overall, San Antonio did well starting out their journey with a win. It wasn't too pretty but getting a road win without Tony Parker against an athletic team is always good thing.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
28:52 minutes, 22 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists
8-for-14 from the field, 6-for-7 at the line
In the past handful of games, I was worried about Tim Duncan's health. I am happy to report that Duncan looked a lot better against the Kings. He was moving well and the quickness that had disappeared the last few games was back. With Duncan more mobile, he was able to have a great game. In limited minutes, he dominated the Kings around the rim on both ends. Defensively, he protected the rim well and rebounded with authority. On offense, Duncan was 6-for-6 on shots at the rim. If his jumper was falling, he would have had an even better outing. As it was, Duncan shook off his slump and returned to his standard dominant self.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
29:18 minutes, 20 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 turnovers
7-for-12 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers, 5-for-7 at the line
Manu Ginobili was also able to end his slump. For the first time since Jan. 20, Ginobili shot better than 40% from the field. He did it by getting to the basket -- finishing 5-for-5 at the rim, including an impressive dunk. Ginobili also extended his good play into the fourth quarter, which is something we haven't seem much in recent weeks. As usual, his energy and passing were both excellent. If Ginobili can find a scoring rhythm to go along with his current playmaking mastery, his superstar days may once again rise.
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Richard Jefferson
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3523.jpg
37:34 minutes, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers
5-for-14 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers, 1-for-2 at the line
Richard Jefferson was 1-for-7 in the first half on the offensive end and was arguably even worse on defense. To his credit, Jefferson bounced back and had a quality second half. His defense vastly improved, while his aggression and confidence on the other end was also at a much higher level. Jefferson still has a huge amount of room for improvement but at least he's starting to show at least some sort of mental toughness.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
41:35 minutes, 23 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
7-for-16 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers, 9-for-9 at the line
George Hill had one of the better games of his career on Wednesday. He tied his career-high with 23 points and set a new career-high with nine assists. I loved his attacking mindset on the offensive end. He did a good job of making decisive decisions -- whether it was taking the open shot or hitting the open man. Scoring-wise, most of his production was away from the basket as he was just 1-for-4 when below the charity stripe. I thought Hill's defense was only about average. That said, his offensive output alone made this a very positive outing for Hill.
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Antonio McDyess
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3004.jpg
20:07 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds
3-for-6 from the field
Antonio McDyess saw his streak of four straight games with double-figures come to an end but he still played well. Even though he was forced to defend faster and more athletic players all night, he was able to keep up on that end. He was quiet offensively until he hit a pair of key shots in the fourth quarter. All in all, McDyess just looks a lot better in the last ten days or so. Let's hope his awkward and slow days are in the past.
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Keith Bogans
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3746.jpg
30:31 minutes, 12 points, 3 assists
5-for-7 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
Starting at shooting guard, Keith Bogans had a quality game for the first time in about a month. On offense, he kept it simple and didn't try to do too much. Recently he's been plagued by either poor shooting or turnovers -- and that wasn't the case against the Kings. On defense, he wasn't great but he played a key role in slowing Martin.
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DeJuan Blair
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/4642.jpg
23:42 minutes, 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
9-for-11 from the field, 2-for-3 at the line
Though Pop has recently begun to use DeJuan Blair as the team's fourth bigmen, games like this make that strategy look questionable. Once Blair got onto the court, he simply dominated the action. He hit his first nine shots from the field and the Kings were powerless to slow him down. Offensively, he's really starting to play more under control and is learning how to finish at the rim against NBA caliber athletes. I was also impressed with his defense on Wednesday night. His lack of size hurts him in some situations but he's getting better and better at knowing where he needs to be in the defensive schemes.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
10:41 minutes, 3 rebounds
0-for-1 from the field
Though Michael Finley is still obviously working his way into basketball shape, he has impressed me with his defense since his return. He's moving his feet well, fighting for position and getting a hand up against shooters. The layoff due to his ankle injury seems to have resulted in fresh legs and he's using those legs on the defensive end. On offense, his only shot in Sacramento was a desperation shot at the end of the first half.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
10:40 minutes
0-for-1 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Roger Mason, Jr. had a horrible outing. He played poor defense, his ballhandling was shaky and his passing was lazy. With trade rumors swirling, Mason certainly didn't do anything to help his stock within this team. The Spurs could really use his outside shooting but unless he plays with more consistency, he's likely to either be traded or lost in the depths of the bench.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
6:59 minutes
0-for-2 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner played six and a half quiet first half minutes. A combination of Blair playing very well and Bonner continuing his outside shooting struggles resulted in a short night. Pop is being patient with him but if Bonner doesn't start hitting soon, he may stop seeing courtesy minutes.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://dailyelements.com/pop-stoic.jpg
Pop did a very good job of limiting Duncan's minutes, which likely raises the chances of Duncan playing in Portland on the back-to-back. Ginobili also got plenty of rest so hopefully he's ready to go on Thursday. Riding the hot hands in Hill and Blair was a good move. On the other hand, Pop playing small ball was very iffy, especially since the regular lineups were able to successfully matchup against the Kings.
-------------------------------
Offense
Shooting only 4-for-13 on three-pointers, the Spurs had to find other ways to score -- and thankfully they did. They shot 56.3% on two-pointers and scored 60 points in the paint. The Spurs also got to the line 28 times and pulled down 11 offensive rebounds. The assists (22) and turnovers (15) were at acceptable numbers.
Defense
Outside of that four minute stretch in the fourth quarter, the defense was bad. Allowing 19 points in the final 1:39 put an exclamation point at the end of this poor defensive affair. For the game, the Kings shot 52.3% from the floor and 40.9% (9-for-22) on three-pointers. Thankfully the Spurs limited the free throw attempts (19) and had an edge on the boards (38-34). Otherwise, it could have gotten even uglier.
Drive to Five
The Trail Blazers on Thursday will definitely be a test. A second win to begin the Rodeo Road Trip would really provide some much needed momentum. Let's hope the Spurs get it.
Believe.
In a game that featured a lot of scoring, the Spurs were able to gain the necessary separation by clamping down on defense for a stretch of four minutes in the beginning of the fourth quarter. During that time, the Kings went scoreless and the Spurs were able to gain an 11-point advantage. As it turned out, the Spurs needed each of their baskets on the night due to the Kings amazingly scoring 19 points in the final 1:39 of the contest.
I like the direction the Kings are headed. They have a number of quality young pieces led by rookies Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi. Although, I'm not convinced Evans and Kevin Martin can co-exist. Evans can play the point a bit but he's much more of a shooting guard. His combination of speed, size and power reminds me of a smaller LeBron James. Trading away Martin will likely be necessary to allow Evans to reach his potential.
Overall, San Antonio did well starting out their journey with a win. It wasn't too pretty but getting a road win without Tony Parker against an athletic team is always good thing.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
28:52 minutes, 22 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists
8-for-14 from the field, 6-for-7 at the line
In the past handful of games, I was worried about Tim Duncan's health. I am happy to report that Duncan looked a lot better against the Kings. He was moving well and the quickness that had disappeared the last few games was back. With Duncan more mobile, he was able to have a great game. In limited minutes, he dominated the Kings around the rim on both ends. Defensively, he protected the rim well and rebounded with authority. On offense, Duncan was 6-for-6 on shots at the rim. If his jumper was falling, he would have had an even better outing. As it was, Duncan shook off his slump and returned to his standard dominant self.
-------------------------------
Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
29:18 minutes, 20 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 turnovers
7-for-12 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers, 5-for-7 at the line
Manu Ginobili was also able to end his slump. For the first time since Jan. 20, Ginobili shot better than 40% from the field. He did it by getting to the basket -- finishing 5-for-5 at the rim, including an impressive dunk. Ginobili also extended his good play into the fourth quarter, which is something we haven't seem much in recent weeks. As usual, his energy and passing were both excellent. If Ginobili can find a scoring rhythm to go along with his current playmaking mastery, his superstar days may once again rise.
-------------------------------
Richard Jefferson
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3523.jpg
37:34 minutes, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers
5-for-14 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers, 1-for-2 at the line
Richard Jefferson was 1-for-7 in the first half on the offensive end and was arguably even worse on defense. To his credit, Jefferson bounced back and had a quality second half. His defense vastly improved, while his aggression and confidence on the other end was also at a much higher level. Jefferson still has a huge amount of room for improvement but at least he's starting to show at least some sort of mental toughness.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
41:35 minutes, 23 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
7-for-16 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers, 9-for-9 at the line
George Hill had one of the better games of his career on Wednesday. He tied his career-high with 23 points and set a new career-high with nine assists. I loved his attacking mindset on the offensive end. He did a good job of making decisive decisions -- whether it was taking the open shot or hitting the open man. Scoring-wise, most of his production was away from the basket as he was just 1-for-4 when below the charity stripe. I thought Hill's defense was only about average. That said, his offensive output alone made this a very positive outing for Hill.
-------------------------------
Antonio McDyess
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3004.jpg
20:07 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds
3-for-6 from the field
Antonio McDyess saw his streak of four straight games with double-figures come to an end but he still played well. Even though he was forced to defend faster and more athletic players all night, he was able to keep up on that end. He was quiet offensively until he hit a pair of key shots in the fourth quarter. All in all, McDyess just looks a lot better in the last ten days or so. Let's hope his awkward and slow days are in the past.
-------------------------------
Keith Bogans
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3746.jpg
30:31 minutes, 12 points, 3 assists
5-for-7 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
Starting at shooting guard, Keith Bogans had a quality game for the first time in about a month. On offense, he kept it simple and didn't try to do too much. Recently he's been plagued by either poor shooting or turnovers -- and that wasn't the case against the Kings. On defense, he wasn't great but he played a key role in slowing Martin.
-------------------------------
DeJuan Blair
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/4642.jpg
23:42 minutes, 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
9-for-11 from the field, 2-for-3 at the line
Though Pop has recently begun to use DeJuan Blair as the team's fourth bigmen, games like this make that strategy look questionable. Once Blair got onto the court, he simply dominated the action. He hit his first nine shots from the field and the Kings were powerless to slow him down. Offensively, he's really starting to play more under control and is learning how to finish at the rim against NBA caliber athletes. I was also impressed with his defense on Wednesday night. His lack of size hurts him in some situations but he's getting better and better at knowing where he needs to be in the defensive schemes.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
10:41 minutes, 3 rebounds
0-for-1 from the field
Though Michael Finley is still obviously working his way into basketball shape, he has impressed me with his defense since his return. He's moving his feet well, fighting for position and getting a hand up against shooters. The layoff due to his ankle injury seems to have resulted in fresh legs and he's using those legs on the defensive end. On offense, his only shot in Sacramento was a desperation shot at the end of the first half.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
10:40 minutes
0-for-1 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers
Roger Mason, Jr. had a horrible outing. He played poor defense, his ballhandling was shaky and his passing was lazy. With trade rumors swirling, Mason certainly didn't do anything to help his stock within this team. The Spurs could really use his outside shooting but unless he plays with more consistency, he's likely to either be traded or lost in the depths of the bench.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
6:59 minutes
0-for-2 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner played six and a half quiet first half minutes. A combination of Blair playing very well and Bonner continuing his outside shooting struggles resulted in a short night. Pop is being patient with him but if Bonner doesn't start hitting soon, he may stop seeing courtesy minutes.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://dailyelements.com/pop-stoic.jpg
Pop did a very good job of limiting Duncan's minutes, which likely raises the chances of Duncan playing in Portland on the back-to-back. Ginobili also got plenty of rest so hopefully he's ready to go on Thursday. Riding the hot hands in Hill and Blair was a good move. On the other hand, Pop playing small ball was very iffy, especially since the regular lineups were able to successfully matchup against the Kings.
-------------------------------
Offense
Shooting only 4-for-13 on three-pointers, the Spurs had to find other ways to score -- and thankfully they did. They shot 56.3% on two-pointers and scored 60 points in the paint. The Spurs also got to the line 28 times and pulled down 11 offensive rebounds. The assists (22) and turnovers (15) were at acceptable numbers.
Defense
Outside of that four minute stretch in the fourth quarter, the defense was bad. Allowing 19 points in the final 1:39 put an exclamation point at the end of this poor defensive affair. For the game, the Kings shot 52.3% from the floor and 40.9% (9-for-22) on three-pointers. Thankfully the Spurs limited the free throw attempts (19) and had an edge on the boards (38-34). Otherwise, it could have gotten even uglier.
Drive to Five
The Trail Blazers on Thursday will definitely be a test. A second win to begin the Rodeo Road Trip would really provide some much needed momentum. Let's hope the Spurs get it.
Believe.